Slip.fall

This time of year is best for sitting back and looking at the spring/summer show schedules! It is great thinking of clinics and nicer weather. Riding in the indoor area is great (I know many of you do not have an indoor), but sometimes you want to get out.

Yesterday was one of those days. It was a heat wave of 40 degrees. Drifter and I went out to the dressage ring; which is covered in snow. I planned to lunge - just to allow her to move and stretch her back. She is turned out 24/7 but the horses don't move at speed much and have been gingerly picking their way around the paddock. Drifter was very cute, realizing that she was able to move a bit on the lunge. She did a few small prop and bucks, but nothing too naughty. She picked up a great little canter and cantered around a few times. THEN we found out there was ice under the snow. WHOOPS. Her hind end slid out from under her and she fell and slid about 6-8 feet. She didn't fall hard or struggle and was calm overall. I did have her lunge in the other direction (cautiously) just to end on a good note.

We went to the indoor and it was EMPTY. That is very rare this time of year. So she was able to move on the lunge and was very happy about it. She cantered nicely on both leads and just seemed happy to work. I got on her to cool her out. Her ride was her easy part today. I love my horsey!

Jump School

Drifter did so much better at jump school this year. We attended our first jump school this past Friday and she was great. She was more forward and straight then last year. The only thing I wished was that she put in more effort over the cross rails we were working on. When we moved it up to a vertical she actually jumped over it, but only as much as needed. She wasn't expending any more effort then necessary. It's great that she doesn't get worked up or overly anxious about jumping, but sometimes I little effort would be nice too. Jump school was really fun and hopefully we will have pictures or video soon.

Barrel Jumpin'

Yesterday we had a great little ride. I had been doing some suppling work with Drifter and a few sessions working on lateral work. She was very easy going when I introduced the dressage whip to help cue her to move her haunches over more in the leg-yield.

We hadn't jumped in awhile, but the jumps were pretty low in the outdoor arena and she warmed up real nice- so why not? We jumped over the simple cross rail first and then over a few small verticals. She was barely trotting them and totally relaxed. We did a line of three fences- small cross rail to large cross rail to one stride vertical which she did very nicely. The next time around we aimed for the two barrel jump and she went right over. I supported her nicely with my leg, but she didn't even waiver like she used to at each fence. I trotted her down over a panel fence and she did fine, but when coming back over it she plowed into it. This panel fence is pretty heavy and she must of felt it because after hopping off and re-setting it she snapped her back and jumped way over it. This is one reason I still feel that schooling cross country will help her be more tidy with her legs. It was a really fun ride and I was very happy with her!

Hooray for autumn

Things have been going well with Drifter and she has been so much fun to ride. Even when she has a week off of work- she comes right back and tries hard. She is such a great horse. Can't wait to keep moving her forward.

Unstuck and moving forward

Sorry for the long delay... we're unstuck and things are going well for Drifter and I.

Her cantering is better- we now have a galloping track at our barn and it's been a lot of fun.

I was at WEG yesterday! I will have cross country pictures to post soon.

All is well.

Stuck

Do you ever feel stuck?

I feel like Drifter and I are stuck- we're working on the same things and not getting anywhere. I don't know if it's just the level of training that she is at where no big discoveries are going to happen, but a lot of fine tuning instead. I just feel like I am getting frustrated working on the same basic concepts and if I miss a day or week then we're even further behind.

She seems pretty stiff and tight right now and I don't think I am riding enough to rebuild that flexibility, so therefore we can't progress. We're still having issues picking up the right lead (unless we're jumping) and therefore we can't progress.

I hate feeling stuck.

Almost a month

It's been almost a month since I have posted an update. Mostly because it's been very hot and I have been very busy and hadn't ridden in two weeks. Yes, Drifter got a two week vacation in the middle of summer and show season. I am hoping to get her back to the Thursday Evening show this week.

After having two weeks off I figured it would be better to start back a few steps and establish our working relationship again. On Thursday, she came right out to see me and I lunged her for 20-30 minutes. She was very forward at first, but amazingly cantered on her right lead for several times around without breaking. I was wondering if I had gotten the correct horse from the field or if I was having trouble telling my left from my right.

Friday was a second lunge day with improvised vienna side reins. This was also good, although she had some more trouble with the right lead this time. She was forward and mostly responsive to voice commands. It was very hot and she got a bit of a hose off at the end.

Saturday was our first ride day and she was super good. No issues during the first few minutes after mounting. She was certainly stiff when asked to bend and a little more above the bit. We got both leads correct the first time and cantered about half way around the arena. She was very good and I kept it a short ride.

I expect to ride again on Tuesday and pack for the show on Thursday.